Comparing the TRON Soundtracks

The TRON:Ares soundtrack by Nine Inch Nails was released last week so I thought I'd download it and give it a listen ahead of the film’s upcoming release. While I was at it, I thought it would be fun to listen to the music from the previous films too. Here are my thoughts.

TRON (1982)

For the 1982 film soundtrack, Wendy Carlos leaned into scene-specific music that closely shadows the action on screen. As I listened to this album, I could almost see the movie in my head. This type of soundtrack helps to amplify the moviegoing experience, but it doesn’t make much sense musically and it’s just boring to listen to on its own. Yawn.

TRON: Legacy (2010)

Revisiting the 2010 soundtrack, I was quickly swept into Daft Punk’s world of pulsating rhythms and sweeping themes. This one is much more musically coherent and much more engaging to my ear. It’s not just midnight rave stuff though. It’s a true score and a luscious one at that. Turn up the volume, turn out the lights, and soak it in. Magnificent!

TRON: Ares (2025)

Right from the get-go the new 2025 score from Nine Inch Nails is teeming with grit and intensity and punctuated by soft, deep lulls. Musically, it straddles the line between scene-specific background music and caffeine-fueled bangers. It couldn’t be more different to the two previous scores, which is a great strength. I predict it’ll carry the film well, and I’m looking forward to seeing if I’m right.